# plaintiff

/ˈpɫeɪnəf/ (US) · /plˈeɪntɪf/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/plaintiff
Updated: 2026-05-05

## Definition

the person who starts a lawsuit against someone else in a court of law.

For teachers: the party that initiates a civil legal action against another party. Used in formal legal contexts; contrasted with the defendant.

## Examples

- The plaintiff sued the company for damages.
- The plaintiff presented evidence that the contract had been broken.
- The plaintiff argued that the defendant's negligence directly caused the financial loss.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.